Members of the 2025 TBA Leadership Law (TBALL) class gathered last weekend in Nashville for the program's opening retreat. The event featured sessions providing an introduction to the program and the chance to hear from some of Tennessee’s top leaders. Speakers included TBA President-elect Heidi Barcus, Abby Rubenfeld, Byron Trauger, DarKenya W. Waller, Deb Varallo, Donna Yurdin, Emily Heird, Emily Landry and Maureen Holland. The class also heard from a range of judicial leaders including U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Kevin Ritz, Tennessee Court of Appeals Judges Kristi Davis and Jeffrey Usman, Tennessee Circuit Court Judge Joel Wallace, General Sessions Court Judge Danielle Mitchell and Judicial Commissioner Christopher Ingram. View pictures from the event. TBALL strives to equip participants with the vision, knowledge and skills necessary to serve as leaders. Learn more about the program.

Several Black History Month programs will take place in Nashville in the coming weeks. On Feb. 14, join Tennessee State University’s College of Liberal Arts and the Metropolitan Historical Commission for the 44th Annual Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture (NCAAHC), a dynamic celebration of African Americans' contributions to Nashville and Tennessee history. On Feb. 19, Vanderbilt University will present The History of Communities from North Africa: Sudanese, Egyptians, Tunisians, Moroccans, Libyans and Algerians. Speakers include Vanderbilt Law School professor Samar Ali. The Nashville Public Library also is hosting a number of programs, including the National African-American Read-In on Feb. 18, the Black Lift Poetry Festival; Write with Pride on Feb. 22, and on demand programs about the legacy of civil rights lawyer Z. Alexander Looby and the history of black Nashville. Finally, the Tennessee State Museum has a number of events planned.

Belmont University College of Law has been named one of 10 finalists in Bloomberg Law’s third annual Law School Innovation Program, exemplifying a holistic approach to legal education. Belmont Law’s Extended Enneagram Training was selected from more than 30 program applications and was the only program chosen in Tennessee. Bloomberg Law focused on career resilience for its 2024-2025 program, asking law schools what they are doing to counteract burnout and build fortitude for a fulfilling, long-term legal career. Intentionally designed by Deborah Farringer, associate dean for academic affairs and associate professor of law, and Kristi Arth, assistant dean for experiential learning and assistant professor of law, the Extended Enneagram Training falls into the well-being finalist category. Read more in a release from the law school.

The 2025 Estate Planning and Probate Forum will take place Feb. 28 at the Embassy Suites Cool Springs in Franklin. The daylong event will feature expert speakers covering topics such as community property trusts, AI developments, a probate panel, ethics, legislative updates and much more. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, offering opportunities for networking with colleagues from across the state. Sessions will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST. The program offers seven hours of CLE including two hours of dual credit. Section members receive discounted pricing. Not a member of the Estate Planning & Probate Section yet? Join here. For more information on the forum, to view the speaker line up and to register, visit TBA’s website.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee and the TBA Young Lawyers Division is hosting a Power of Attorney Clinic via Zoom on March 4 at 4:30 p.m. EST. Click here for more information and to volunteer.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee and the TBA Young Lawyers Division will be holding a virtual Name Change Clinic on March 6 at 4:30 p.m. EST via Zoom. Click here for more information and to volunteer.

The Washington County Bar Association (WCBA) announced its 2025 officers on Friday. They are: President Jerome Cochran, President-elect Brady Smith, Vice President Hunter Shepard; Secretary Thomas J. Smith; and Treasurer Jesse J. Campbell. In addition, three board members were elected. They are: Nora Koffman, Sarah Larkin and Solange McDaniel.

Two Tennessee mothers are urging lawmakers to increase oversight of juvenile detention centers, alleging their sons were subjected to prolonged solitary confinement and coerced into fighting by guards at the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Service Center. A 2023 WPLN and ProPublica investigation alleged the facility violated seclusion laws, a pattern also documented in other county-run juvenile centers across the state. Despite repeated violations cited by the Department of Children's Services (DCS), corrective action has been ineffective, and the Bean Center remains noncompliant with licensing standards, according to WPLN news. Last year, state Sen. Kerry Roberts, R-Springfield, introduced legislation to transfer oversight from DCS to a third-party entity, citing the need for greater transparency and accountability. The measure did not pass but was sent to a summer study committee.

A third federal judge said today he would block President Donald Trump’s effort to curtail automatic birthright citizenship for babies born to undocumented parents. According to Reuters, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante in New Hampshire  issued a preliminary injunction preventing the executive order from taking effect. The move comes after federal judges in Maryland and Washington state issued separate injunctions last week blocking the order's enforcement nationwide. A lawyer for the ACLU, which brought the case, argued the order violated the 14th Amendment's citizenship clause and a 1898 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that recognized citizenship regardless of parents' immigration status. A U.S. Justice Department attorney contended that the plaintiffs were relying on non-binding parts of the ruling, which only guaranteed citizenship for children of parents who permanently resided in the country.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (DOT) will receive $9.6 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and state officials to clear more than 450,000 cubic yards of debris following Hurricane Helene, officials announced Friday. According to WBIR, the funding, authorized under FEMA's Public Assistance program, is expected to conclude by Feb. 28. The debris removal is taking place across roads and public property in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties.